Florida Senate - 2014 CS for SB 1292
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Legg
581-03211-14 20141292c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary education; creating
3 s. 1004.448, F.S.; establishing the Florida Center for
4 Library Automation; providing the duties of the
5 center; providing that an executive director
6 administers the center; providing the duties of the
7 executive director; repealing s. 1006.72, F.S.,
8 relating to licensing electronic library resources;
9 repealing s. 1006.73, F.S., relating to the Florida
10 Virtual Campus; amending s. 1006.735, F.S.; creating
11 the Complete Florida Plus Program, rather than the
12 Complete Florida Degree Program, within the Innovation
13 Institute of the University of West Florida; providing
14 a purpose for the program; establishing the Complete
15 Florida Degree Initiative; requiring the initiative to
16 use labor market data and projections to identify
17 specific workforce needs and targeted occupations;
18 deleting implementing provisions relating to the
19 Complete Florida Degree Program; providing duties of
20 the Complete Florida Degree Initiative; requiring the
21 Complete Florida Plus Program to develop and manage a
22 statewide Internet-based catalog of distance learning
23 courses, degree programs, and resources offered by
24 public postsecondary education institutions; providing
25 requirements for the operational procedures for the
26 catalog; requiring the Complete Florida Plus Program
27 to make available to postsecondary students specified
28 online supports and services; providing that records,
29 personnel, property, existing contracts, unexpended
30 balances of appropriations, allocations, grants, and
31 other funds of the Florida Virtual Campus are
32 transferred to the University of West Florida;
33 providing that the University of West Florida is the
34 successor in interest to the Florida Virtual Campus;
35 deleting an obsolete provision; amending ss. 1007.01,
36 1009.23, and 1009.24, F.S.; conforming cross
37 references; providing an effective date.
38
39 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
40
41 Section 1. Section 1004.448, Florida Statutes, is created
42 to read:
43 1004.448 Florida Center for Library Automation.—
44 (1) The Florida Center for Library Automation is
45 established to provide a single library automation system and
46 associated resources and services that all public postsecondary
47 institutions shall use to support their learning, teaching, and
48 research needs.
49 (2) The Florida Center for Library Automation shall:
50 (a) Develop and manage a library information portal and
51 automated library management tools for use by the Florida
52 College System institutions and state universities. The library
53 information portal and automated library management tools must
54 include, but are not limited to, the following services and
55 functions:
56 1. A shared Internet-based catalog and a discovery tool
57 that allow a user to search and, if authorized, access the
58 aggregate library holdings of the state’s public postsecondary
59 education institutions. The catalog and discovery tool must
60 allow the user to search the library holdings of one
61 institution, selected institutions, or all institutions and, to
62 the extent feasible, include an interlibrary loan function that
63 ensures that the authorized user can access the required library
64 holding.
65 2. An Internet-based searchable collection of electronic
66 resources which includes, but is not limited to, full-text
67 journals, articles, databases, and electronic books that the
68 center licenses pursuant to paragraph (b).
69 3. An integrated library management system and its
70 associated services that all public postsecondary education
71 institution academic libraries must use for purposes of
72 acquiring, cataloging, circulating, and tracking library
73 material.
74 4. A statewide searchable database that includes an
75 inventory of digital archives and collections held by public
76 postsecondary education institutions.
77 (b) Coordinate the negotiation of statewide licensing of
78 electronic library resources and preferred pricing agreements,
79 issue purchase orders, and enter into contracts for the
80 acquisition of library support services, electronic resources,
81 and other goods and services necessary to carry out its duties
82 under this section.
83 (c) Promote and provide recommendations concerning the use
84 and distribution of open-access textbooks and education
85 resources as a method for reducing costs and work with public
86 postsecondary education institutions in developing a
87 standardized process for the review and approval of open-access
88 textbooks.
89 (3) The Florida Center for Library Automation shall be
90 administered by an executive director who is accountable to the
91 executive director of the University of West Florida’s
92 Innovation Institute. The executive director of the Florida
93 Center for Library Automation shall:
94 (a) Independently exercise all powers, duties, and
95 functions of the center as prescribed by law.
96 (b) Administer the operational requirements of the center.
97 (c) Hire professional and administrative staff necessary to
98 carry out the duties of the center.
99 (d) Keep administrative staff to the minimum necessary to
100 administer the duties of the center.
101 Section 2. Section 1006.72, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
102 Section 3. Section 1006.73, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
103 Section 4. Section 1006.735, Florida Statutes, is amended
104 to read:
105 1006.735 Complete Florida Plus Degree Program.—The Complete
106 Florida Plus Program is created within the Innovation Institute
107 at the University of West Florida.
108 (1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Complete Florida Plus
109 Program is to:
110 (a) Facilitate degree completion for the state’s adult
111 learners through the Complete Florida Degree Initiative.
112 (b) Provide information and access to distance learning
113 courses and degree programs offered by the state’s public
114 postsecondary education institutions.
115 (c) Coordinate with the Florida College System and the
116 State University System to identify and provide online academic
117 support services and resources when the multi-institutional
118 provision of such services and resources is more cost-effective
119 or operationally effective.
120 (2)(1) COMPLETE FLORIDA DEGREE INITIATIVE.—The Complete
121 Florida Degree Initiative Program is established for the purpose
122 of recruiting, recovering, and retaining the state’s adult
123 learners and assisting them in completing an associate degree or
124 a baccalaureate degree that is aligned to high-wage, high-skill
125 workforce needs. As used in this section, the term “adult
126 learner” means a student who has successfully completed college
127 level coursework in multiple semesters but has left an
128 institution in good standing before completing his or her
129 degree. The program shall give priority to adult learners who
130 are veterans or active duty members of the United States Armed
131 Forces.
132 (a)(2) The Complete Florida Degree Initiative Program shall
133 be implemented by the University of West Florida, acting as the
134 lead institution, in coordination with Florida College System
135 institutions, state universities, and private postsecondary
136 institutions, as appropriate. The initiative includes program
137 shall include the associate, applied baccalaureate, and
138 baccalaureate degree programs that these institutions have
139 selected. Other partnering public postsecondary education
140 institutions shall provide areas of specialization or
141 concentration.
142 (b)(3) In determining For purposes of selecting the degree
143 programs that will be given priority, in the Complete Florida
144 Degree Initiative Program, the institutions identified in
145 subsection (2) shall partner with public and private job
146 recruitment and placement agencies and use labor market data and
147 projections, including those identified in the Board of
148 Governors’ gap analysis, to identify the specific workforce
149 needs and targeted occupations of the state.
150 (c)(4) The Complete Florida Degree Initiative Program shall
151 provide adult learners with a single point of access to
152 information and links to innovative online and accelerated
153 distance learning courses, student and library support services,
154 and electronic resources that will guide the adult learner
155 toward the successful completion of a postsecondary degree.
156 (5) By the end of the 2013-2014 academic year, the Complete
157 Florida Degree Program shall be implemented and must:
158 (a) Use the distance learning course catalog established
159 pursuant to s. 1006.73 to communicate course availability to the
160 adult learner.
161 (b) Develop and implement an advising and student support
162 system that includes the use of degree completion specialists,
163 is based upon best practices and processes, and includes
164 academic and career support services designed specifically for
165 the adult learner. The program must identify proposed changes to
166 the statewide computer-assisted student advising system
167 established pursuant to s. 1006.73 to assist the adult learner
168 in using the system.
169 (c) Use the streamlined, automated, online admissions
170 application process for transient students established pursuant
171 to s. 1006.73. The program shall identify any additional
172 admissions and registration policies and practices that could be
173 further streamlined and automated for purposes of assisting the
174 adult learner.
175 (d) The Complete Florida Degree Initiative shall:
176 1. Use existing and, if necessary, develop new competency
177 based instructional and evaluation tools to assess prior
178 performance, experience, and education for the award of college
179 credit in order to reduce the time required for adult learners
180 to complete their degrees. The tools may include the use of the
181 American Council on Education’s collaborative link between the
182 United States Department of Defense and higher education through
183 the review of military training and experiences for the award of
184 equivalent college credit for members of the United States Armed
185 Forces.
186 2.(e) Develop and implement an evaluation process that
187 collects, analyzes, and provides to the chancellors of the
188 Florida College System and the State University System, the
189 participating postsecondary education institutions, the chairs
190 of the legislative appropriations committees, and the Executive
191 Office of the Governor information on the effectiveness of the
192 program and the attainment of its goals. Such a process shall
193 include a management information system that collects the
194 appropriate student, programmatic, and fiscal data necessary to
195 complete the evaluation of the program. Institutions involved in
196 the program shall also collect job placement and employment data
197 on the adult learners who have completed their degrees as a
198 result of the program.
199 3.(f) Develop and implement a statewide student recruitment
200 campaign targeted toward adult learners, particularly veterans
201 and active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, for
202 enrollment in the degree programs offered through the program.
203 (e)(6) For purposes of the Complete Florida Degree
204 Initiative Program, each institution’s current tuition and fee
205 structure shall be used. However, all participating institutions
206 shall collaboratively identify the applicable cost components
207 involved in the development and delivery of distance learning
208 courses, collect information on these cost components, and
209 submit the information to the chancellors of the Florida College
210 System and the State University System. The chancellors shall
211 submit a report to the chairs of the legislative appropriations
212 committees no later than December 31, 2014, on the need for a
213 differentiated tuition and fee structure for the development and
214 delivery of distance learning courses.
215 (3) STATEWIDE INTERNET-BASED CATALOG OF DISTANCE LEARNING
216 COURSES.—The Complete Florida Plus Program shall develop and
217 manage a statewide Internet-based catalog of distance learning
218 courses, degree programs, and resources offered by public
219 postsecondary education institutions to assist with the
220 coordination and collaboration of articulation and access to
221 postsecondary education pursuant to parts II and III of chapter
222 1007. The program shall establish operational procedures for the
223 catalog which must:
224 (a) Require participating institutions to provide specific
225 information concerning the distance learning courses and degree
226 programs including, but not limited to, prerequisite courses or
227 technology competencies or skills; the availability of academic
228 support services and financial aid resources; and course costs,
229 fees, and payment policies.
230 (b) Require that distance learning courses and degree
231 programs meet applicable accreditation standards and criteria
232 established in law.
233 (c) Require that the catalog be reviewed at least annually
234 and updated as needed to ensure that distance learning courses
235 and degree programs comply with operational procedures.
236 (d) Define and describe the catalog’s search and retrieval
237 options that, at a minimum, allow users to search courses and
238 programs by academic term or start date; institution or
239 institutions; delivery method, level, availability, subject or
240 discipline, and course number or program classification number.
241 (e) Use an Internet-based analytic tool that allows for the
242 collection and analysis of information, including, but not
243 limited to:
244 1. The number of students who use the catalog to search for
245 distance learning courses and degree programs;
246 2. The number and type of requests for information on
247 distance learning courses and degree programs that are not
248 listed in the catalog; and
249 3. A summary of specific requests by course type or course
250 number, delivery method, offering institution, and semester.
251 (4) STATEWIDE ONLINE STUDENT ADVISING SERVICES AND
252 SUPPORT.—The Complete Florida Plus Program shall make available
253 to all postsecondary students on a statewide basis online
254 supports and services that:
255 (a) Provide a streamlined, automated, online admissions
256 application process for undergraduate transient students who are
257 currently enrolled and pursuing a degree at a public
258 postsecondary education institution and who enroll in a course
259 offered by a public postsecondary education institution that is
260 not the student’s degree-granting institution. The University of
261 West Florida shall work with the Florida College System
262 institutions and state universities to:
263 1. Use the transient student admissions application
264 available through the statewide computer-assisted student
265 advising system established pursuant to paragraph (b). This
266 admissions application is the only application required for the
267 enrollment of a transient student as described in this
268 paragraph.
269 2. Implement the financial aid procedures required by the
270 transient student admissions application process.
271 3. Transfer credit awarded by the institution offering the
272 course to the transient student’s degree-granting institution.
273 4. Provide for an interface between the institutional
274 advising system and the statewide computer-assisted student
275 advising system established pursuant to paragraph (b) in order
276 to electronically send, receive, and process the transient
277 student admissions application.
278 (b) Develop and manage a statewide computer-assisted
279 student advising system that supports the process of advising,
280 registering, and certifying students for graduation and includes
281 a degree audit and an articulation component. The Florida
282 College System institutions and state universities shall
283 interface institutional advising systems with the statewide
284 computer-assisted student advising system. At a minimum, the
285 statewide computer-assisted student advising system must:
286 1. Allow a student to access the system at any time, search
287 public postsecondary education institutions, and identify course
288 options that will meet the requirements of a selected path
289 toward a degree.
290 2. Audit transcripts of students enrolled in a public
291 postsecondary education institution to assess current academic
292 standing, the requirements for a student to transfer to another
293 institution, and all requirements necessary for graduation.
294 3. Serve as the official statewide repository for the
295 common prerequisite manual, admissions information for
296 transferring programs, foreign language requirements, residency
297 requirements, and statewide articulation agreements.
298 4. Provide information relating to career descriptions and
299 corresponding educational requirements, admissions requirements,
300 and available sources of student financial assistance.
301 5. Provide the admissions application for transient
302 students pursuant to paragraph (a) which must include the
303 electronic transfer and receipt of information and records for:
304 a. Admissions and readmissions;
305 b. Financial aid; and
306 c. Transfer of credit awarded by the institution offering
307 the course to the transient student’s degree-granting
308 institution.
309 (c) Identify and evaluate new technologies and
310 instructional methods that can be used to improve distance
311 learning instruction and professional development for faculty,
312 student learning outcomes, student access, the delivery of
313 student support services, the alignment of degrees to career
314 needs, and the overall quality of postsecondary distance
315 learning courses and degree programs.
316 (d) Provide appropriate help desk support and training and
317 consultation services to institutions and students using the
318 services and resources of the Complete Florida Plus Program.
319 (e) Coordinate the negotiation of statewide licensing
320 resources and preferred pricing agreements, issue purchase
321 orders, and execute contracts for the acquisition of distance
322 learning resources, student support services, electronic
323 resources, and other goods and services necessary to perform
324 duties under this section.
325 (f) Develop and implement a plan, in consultation with the
326 public postsecondary education institutions, that describes the
327 services and resources available through the Complete Florida
328 Plus Program to encourage current and prospective students’ use
329 of such services and resources.
330 (5) All records, personnel, property, existing contracts,
331 and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, grants,
332 and other funds of the Florida Virtual Campus shall be
333 transferred to the University of West Florida. The University of
334 West Florida shall be the successor in interest to the Florida
335 Virtual Campus and shall be responsible for the provision of all
336 services as authorized by this section.
337 (7) The University of West Florida, in collaboration with
338 its partners, shall submit to the chairs of the Board of
339 Governors, the State Board of Education, and the legislative
340 appropriations committees no later than September 1, 2013, a
341 detailed program plan that defines the major work activities,
342 student eligibility criteria, timeline, and cost for
343 implementing the Complete Florida Degree Program.
344 Section 5. Paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of section
345 1007.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
346 1007.01 Articulation; legislative intent; purpose; role of
347 the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors;
348 Articulation Coordinating Committee.—
349 (3) The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the
350 Chancellor of the State University System, shall establish the
351 Articulation Coordinating Committee, which shall make
352 recommendations related to statewide articulation policies and
353 issues regarding access, quality, and reporting of data
354 maintained by the K-20 data warehouse, established pursuant to
355 ss. 1001.10 and 1008.31, to the Higher Education Coordination
356 Council, the State Board of Education, and the Board of
357 Governors. The committee shall consist of two members each
358 representing the State University System, the Florida College
359 System, public career and technical education, K-12 education,
360 and nonpublic postsecondary education and one member
361 representing students. The chair shall be elected from the
362 membership. The Office of K-20 Articulation shall provide
363 administrative support for the committee. The committee shall:
364 (h) Recommend roles and responsibilities of public
365 education entities in interfacing with the single, statewide
366 computer-assisted student advising system established pursuant
367 to s. 1006.735 s. 1006.73.
368 Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (16) and subsection
369 (17) of section 1009.23, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
370 1009.23 Florida College System institution student fees.—
371 (16)(a) Each Florida College System institution may assess
372 a student who enrolls in a course listed in the distance
373 learning catalog, established pursuant to s. 1006.735 s.
374 1006.73, a per-credit-hour distance learning course user fee.
375 For purposes of assessing this fee, a distance learning course
376 is a course in which at least 80 percent of the direct
377 instruction of the course is delivered using some form of
378 technology when the student and instructor are separated by time
379 or space, or both.
380 (17) Each Florida College System institution that accepts
381 transient students, pursuant to s. 1006.735 s. 1006.73, may
382 establish a transient student fee not to exceed $5 per course
383 for processing the transient student admissions application.
384 Section 7. Paragraph (t) of subsection (14) and paragraph
385 (a) of subsection (17) of section 1009.24, Florida Statutes, are
386 amended to read:
387 1009.24 State university student fees.—
388 (14) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (15), each
389 university board of trustees is authorized to establish the
390 following fees:
391 (t) A transient student fee that may not exceed $5 per
392 course for accepting a transient student and processing the
393 transient student admissions application pursuant to s. 1006.735
394 s. 1006.73.
395
396 With the exception of housing rental rates and except as
397 otherwise provided, fees assessed pursuant to paragraphs (h)-(s)
398 shall be based on reasonable costs of services. The Board of
399 Governors shall adopt regulations and timetables necessary to
400 implement the fees and fines authorized under this subsection.
401 The fees assessed under this subsection may be used for debt
402 only as authorized under s. 1010.62.
403 (17)(a) A state university may assess a student who enrolls
404 in a course listed in the distance learning catalog, established
405 pursuant to s. 1006.735 s. 1006.73, a per-credit-hour distance
406 learning course fee. For purposes of assessing this fee, a
407 distance learning course is a course in which at least 80
408 percent of the direct instruction of the course is delivered
409 using some form of technology when the student and instructor
410 are separated by time or space, or both.
411 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.